The
person may feel as if he or she is having memory lapses — forgetting
familiar words or the location of everyday objects. But no symptoms of
dementia can be detected during a medical examination or by friends,
family or co-workers.

Stage 3:

Mild cognitive decline (early-stage Alzheimer's can be diagnosed in some, but not all, individuals with these symptoms)

Friends,
family or co-workers begin to notice difficulties. During a detailed
medical interview, doctors may be able to detect problems in memory or
concentration. Common stage 3 difficulties include:

Noticeable problems coming up with the right word or name

Trouble remembering names when introduced to new people

Having noticeably greater difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings Forgetting material that one has just read

Losing or misplacing a valuable object

Increasing trouble with planning or organizing

Stage 4:

Moderate cognitive decline(Mild or early-stage Alzheimer's disease)

At this point, a careful medical interview should be able to detect clear-cut symptoms in several areas:

Have increasingly frequent trouble controlling their bladder or bowels

Experience major personality and behavioral changes, including
suspiciousness and delusions (such as believing that their caregiver is
an impostor)or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or
tissue shredding

In
the final stage of this disease, individuals lose the ability to
respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and,
eventually, to control movement. They may still say words or phrases.

At this stage, individuals need help with much of their daily
personal care, including eating or using the toilet. They may also lose
the ability to smile, to sit without support and to hold their heads up.
Reflexes become abnormal. Muscles grow rigid. Swallowing impaired.